The NEOGEO is generally characterized by, with only a few notable exceptions, fighting games and Metal Slug. Within a couple of years of its launch, the vast majority of the output on the console seemed to be mining (quite successfully) a few particular types of games. To be fair, such was the state of arcades by the mid-1990s. If you weren’t making a fighting game, a licensed beat-em-up, a shoot-em-up, or a puzzle game, you were rowing against the current.
That makes the existence of Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy($3.99) a bit of a rarity. Developed internally at SNK by ex-IREM staffers, the game arrived in the summer of 1994 alongside The King of Fighters ’94. One of those games became near-legendary, carving its legacy into the very platform in an indelible way. The other was Top Hunter. A quirky little platformer/beat-em-up hybrid for one or two players, one could generously say that it paved the way for Metal Slug in some small way.
While there is no significant shared staff between Top Hunter and Metal Slug, there are some common elements. The visual style has that same sort of silly-but-gritty feel to it, and there are plenty of amusing enemy animations. You can find vehicles to ride on, and you’ll sometimes get your hands on a gun. Platforming is largely perfunctory, with jumping mostly being used to avoid attacks rather than navigating harrowing platforms. Stages are capped off with a boss fight, usually against some kind of large opponent. That’s about all of the shared aspects.
There are two key mechanics to Top Hunter. The first is your stretchy arms, which allow you to grab a variety of objects and either smash them or toss them. You can also use them to work various machines, switches, and so on. You’ll generally defeat foes by smacking them or throwing something at them, but you can make use of some traps and some special moves for a little variety. The other gimmick is that every stage has two planes, and you can hop between them as needed or desired. Sometimes traps or power-ups need to be accessed from the opposite plane, encouraging you to swap regularly.
I’ll be frank: there were a few platformers in this era that tried this kind of thing, and I don’t feel like any of them were substantially better for it. Probably the best of the bunch was Wario Land for the Virtual Boy, and there’s a reason for that. The 3D effect of the console helped solve a problem that seems to be inherent to this kind of design. Namely, it can be difficult at times to tell which plane a given object is on. In this game, it can make it hard to line up throws and even occasionally result in taking a hit you didn’t think was going to hit you. The art style here makes things a bit worse as little is done to distinguish the planes visually.
Well, it’s not a huge deal. A bigger problem with Top Hunter is that it too frequently lacks tension. This is an unusually easy game for an arcade platformer, and once you’ve got the hang of things you can go ridiculously far on each credit. The enemies just don’t pose much of a threat to your extremely versatile and powerful character. There also aren’t enough enemy types, so you’ll start seeing the same faces again and again. It’s amusing to mess around with everything and try defeating enemies in different ways, but ultimately Top Hunter is a little boring.
This boredom can be alleviated somewhat by bringing a friend along for some good old-fashioned co-op mayhem, but this is of course an ACA NEOGEO release for mobile. That means you’ll only be able to play multiplayer if you have some external controllers and don’t mind huddling around your mobile device of choice. I’d imagine for most people, that’s not going to be the typical play experience with this game. You’re most likely going to be playing solo, and that’s the less fun way to go about experiencing Top Hunter.
It does however benefit from the fact that we don’t get too many high-quality, premium games of this kind on mobile. I’d say it takes to touch controls even better than the Metal Slug games do since you don’t have to worry about precise aiming as much. I suppose as a solo experience, it takes to mobile better than some NEOGEO games do. And I do want to stress that the game isn’t a half-effort by any means. It’s quite gorgeous in that way NEOGEO games tended to be, and each of the four worlds have a distinct look to them. You get three levels in each world, plus a rather climactic final stage. If you play the included Japanese version, there are even some secret endings to find. It may not be thrills every minute, but it certainly brings the value.
As this is part of the ACA NEOGEO line, the expected extras and options are all here. You can play with an external controller, you get both regional versions of the game, there are extra modes with their own online leaderboards, and you’ve got more options than you can shake a stick at. The emulation quality is good, and my only gripes about Hamster’s part in all of this are my usual ones about not having online multiplayer or the MVS version as an option. It’s a great package, and it’s a bit luxurious that I’m pretty much used to this level of quality in such a low-cost release.
I’m not the biggest fan of Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy, but it’s a decent enough romp that clearly had a lot of care put into it. A little too easy and repetitive at times, and I’m not sure its dual-plane system works as well as it should, but for a few bucks you’ll get your fun out of it. Add in the usual suite of features that comes with Hamster’s ACA NEOGEO line, and you have a pleasant distraction for a lazy weekend afternoon.
HandyGames’ mobile version of Bugbear’s demolition derby-style racer Wreckfest($9.99) released on iOS and Android recently, and we featured it as our Game of the Week. MrMacRight on YouTube who does amazing technical analysis videos for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS games has done one on Wreckfest comparing it across iOS and console platforms. The video even showcases how it runs on a variety of Apple devices including newer ones detailing the resolution and frame rate targets alongside showcasing the how the game runs across the board. Watch the analysis video below:
You can buy Wreckfest on mobile on Google Play for Android here and on the App Store here. The App Store page for Wreckfest lists different car packs and content bundles as in app purchases right now. Check out our new forum thread for the game here with impressions and potential fixes if you’re running into issues. The console game is priced at $39.99 on Nintendo Switch with additional paid DLC available. Check out Wreckfest on Steam here. Have you played Wreckfest yet on any platform and are you going to grab it on mobile?
Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, were found stabbed to death on the second and third floors of the home located in Moscow, Idaho.
RadarOnline.com has learned the 2,295-square-foot property is located on King Rd. and came with six bedrooms and three bathrooms.
Per the original listing, it was said to be fitting for roommates considering there are two bedrooms and one bathroom on each level.
Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for November 25th, 2022. Today we look at the remaining releases for the week, and I’ll be honest with you: it’s not a great assortment. Still, there are at least a couple of things worth mentioning, so I’ve gone ahead and made summaries of all of them. After that, we’ve got the lists of new and outgoing sales. Normally that’s a highlight of Friday articles, but this week the Cyber Deals stuff already has most games covered. The little list we have is pretty potent, however. Let’s get to it!
New Releases
KnifeBoy Rebooted ($14.99)
This is a Metroidvania-style game with a bizarre style and frankly rough gameplay mechanics. KnifeBoy was killed by someone he trusted and now he’s back for revenge. Explore an alternate Nevada, find upgrades and other collectibles, and save your old partner. I suppose if you’re looking for a somewhat chaotic take on the genre, you might want to investigate this one further.
How to Fool a Liar King Remastered ($14.99)
This visual novel is the follow-up to How to Take Off Your Mask and begins right after that story ends. Heroine Regina suddenly appears in the kingdom of Eroolia, with no idea of how she got there or how to get back home. It helps if you’ve played the previous game, but you can just jump in here if you like. Either way, there will probably be some smooching.
Pocket Pool ($3.99)
Ha! With a name like that, I’m sure we’re in for a ribald game of billiards. No? It’s just billiards on amusingly-shaped tables? Well, okay. You get fifty different levels to play here, and you can pull in some friends for local multiplayer. Up to four players can join in at a time. That about covers it.
New Joe & Mac – Caveman Ninja ($29.99)
Remember that remake of Toki that took the original arcade game and spiffed up the presentation? That same developer has done its work with Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja. You get two modes here, one of which is just a straight remake of the arcade game and the other with a bit of new content to enjoy. Naturally, you can play in co-op here if you have a friend who wants to join in locally. Someone, somewhere, asked for this.
Super Lone Survivor ($24.99)
This is a remake of the original Lone Survivor, which came out something like ten years ago. Phew, time does fly. Anyway, the presentation has been improved and there is some new content to uncover. The original game is a rather well-liked 2D entry into the horror genre, and the reception to this remake has been mostly positive on other platforms.
My Universe – My Baby Dragon ($29.99)
Raising babies wasn’t enough, I suppose. No, now you have to raise baby dragons. Look, I’m not going to stop you. Hatch the eggs, teach them how to fly, all that stuff. Sadly, you can’t teach them to eat knights. And that’s too bad, because I can think of at least five knights who need eating.
Fire All Humans ($5.99)
A wacky physics puzzle game where you launch humans to solve various objectives in each stage. There are twenty-four levels in total and it all looks just stupid enough that it might be worth the six bucks.
Simon: The Memory Game ($3.99)
I feel like there’s an enormously high chance that this new publisher, Red Fables, is just Cooking & Publishing under a different name. I think that because this is another one of those trash-tier games where you answer a series of questions and then need to repeat your answers without making a mistake. The gimmick is that you are supposed to be talking to your 1980s self, which only works if you were alive in the 1980s. And look at that picture. Buddy, I was around in the 1980s, and our hair styles were a lot more mullet-y than that. A lot. Anyway, this game is a piece of garbage. Leave it in the bin. Red Fables, I’ve got my eyes on you.
Furry Hentai Tangram ($2.99)
Sigh. A tangram puzzle game from the Gamuzumi. The theme is what the title says. Don’t search the name on the internet; regrets will be real.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Wow, Sonic Frontiers is already on sale for 30% off. That’s not a great feeling if you bought it at launch seventeen whole days ago. Oh well. Also noteworthy: all of the Nintendo Arcade Archives games are on sale for the first time ever, and potentially the only time ever. Not a bad time to fill your boots with some classics. With almost nothing in the outbox, you can feel free to spend your sales savings on some of those Cyber Deals if you want.
Select New Games on Sale
Sonic Frontiers ($41.99 from $59.99 until 11/29) Sonic Frontiers Deluxe ($48.99 from $69.99 until 11/29) Mozart Requiem ($9.99 from $29.99 until 11/30) LEGO Bricktales ($26.99 from $29.99 until 12/1) Cursed to Golf ($14.99 from $19.99 until 12/1) Say No! More($5.99 from $14.99 until 12/1) SteamWorld Quest: HoG($7.49 from $24.99 until 12/1) Hidden in Plain Sight($2.99 from $5.99 until 12/2) Super Perils of Baking ($7.49 from $9.99 until 12/2) Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance($23.99 from $29.99 until 12/2) Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance 2 ($23.99 from $29.99 until 12/2) Infinite Golf 2 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 12/9) Arcade Archives Vs Mah-Jong ($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/15) Arcade Archives Sky Skipper($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/15) Arcade Archives Ice Climber($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/15)
Arcade Archives Urban Champion ($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/15) Arcade Archives Vs Balloon Fight($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/15) Arcade Archives Clu Clu Land ($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/15) Arcade Archives Golf($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/15) Arcade Archives Vs Tennis ($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/15) Arcade Archives Soccer ($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/15) Arcade Archives Pinball($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/15) Arcade Archives Vs Wrecking Crew ($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/15) Arcade Archives Punch-Out($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/15) Arcade Archives Super Punch-Out ($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/15) Arcade Archives Vs Baseball($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/15) Arcade Archives Excitebike ($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/15) Arcade Archives Donkey Kong ($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/15) Arcade Archives Donkey Kong Jr ($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/15) Arcade Archives Donkey Kong 3 ($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/15)
Arcade Archives Mario Bros ($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/15) Arcade Archives Vs Super Mario Bros ($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/15) Shin chan: Summer Vacation($29.99 from $39.99 until 12/15) Zero Tolerance Collection ($4.99 from $9.99 until 12/15) Thunderbolt Collection($3.99 from $7.99 until 12/15) Jim Power: The Lost Dimension($4.99 from $9.99 until 12/15) The Immortal($3.99 from $7.99 until 12/15) Radical Rex ($3.99 from $7.99 until 12/15) The Humans ($3.99 from $7.99 until 12/15) Head Over Heels ($4.99 from $9.99 until 12/15) Timberman: The Big Adventure ($2.49 from $4.99 until 12/15) Onirike($2.99 from $14.99 until 12/15)
Sales Ending This Weekend
ET Varginha ($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/26) Magic Potion Millionaire ($10.49 from $14.99 until 11/26) Mission Commando ($2.99 from $3.99 until 11/26) Supaplex GO!($4.49 from $14.99 until 11/26) In Rays of the Light ($3.99 from $7.99 until 11/27)
That’s all for today and this week, friends. We’ll be back next week with more new releases, more sales, some reviews, and some news. The usual grab bag of joy, in other words. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!
Following the release of Genshin Impact version 3.2 ‘Akasha Pulses, the Kalpa Flame Rises’, HoYoverse has revealed the release date and more coming in the next update. Genshin Impact(Free) version 3.3 ‘All Senses Clear, All Existence Void’ includes new characters, the interlude for the Archon Quest, a new season of events and challenges, the Genius Invokation TCG, and a lot more. The new characters in this update are five-star Anemo catalyst wielder, the Wanderer, and four-star Anemo archer Faruzan. This update will also see Italian and Turkish text support added to the game. Watch the Genshin Impact 3.3 update reveal trailer below:
This update will go live on December 7th. Pre-installation for iOS, Android, and PC will go live a few days prior as usual I imagine. If you haven’t checked out Genshin Impact yet, you can download it for free on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. The PC version is available on the official website here and the Epic Games Store. If you play on iOS, with iOS 14.5 or iPadOS 14.5 and later, you can use PS5 and Xbox Series X|S controllers to play Genshin Impact. We featured Genshin Impact as our Game of the Week when it released and awarded it our 2020 Game of the Year. I also featured it as one of the best iOS games to play with a controller. Have you been playing Genshin Impact recently and what do you think of the game’s current state?
Anyone who’s ever dreaded a major exam has probably woken up in a cold sweat after a terrible dream. School is a breeding ground for horrific nightmares both during the day and at night, and in Haunted Dorm, developer Mihuan has taken things up a notch with its innovative mix of tower defense and “hide and seek” elements to bring players a truly chilling experience.
A terror teacher who’s out to get you
While some educators only want what’s best for us as we aim to reach our full potential in school, others may not be so amiable. We’ve all had that one teacher who always seems to be out to get us, and in Haunted Dorm, you don’t have to imagine what it’s like to have that same teacher turn into a demonic ghost.
As a student, you’ll have no choice but to lie on your bed while a malevolent demon scratches and scrapes at the door. You’ll no doubt fear for your life, but thankfully, you won’t be as defenseless as you might think. Players can fortify their rooms and reinforce their doors to keep the demonic teacher at bay, because while the game foregoes the waves of enemies that are typical of the genre, it certainly ups its terror level by having just one persistent enemy (or Dream Hunter) trying to break down your door by all means necessary.
A compounded sense of helplessness
Speaking of being helpless, what’s interesting about Haunted Dorm is that you realistically only have limited resources available to you to buff up your defenses. Apart from making sure your Door is in tip-top shape, you can upgrade your Bed to earn enough currency to buy other what-have-yous around you.
For instance, the Repair Bench can keep your Door standing for as long as possible, while the Turret can help you attack the Dream Hunter at the gates. You can also make use of other structures such as the Game Console, the Spell Catapult, the Energy Shield, the ATM and even the Refrigerator – basically whatever you can get your hands on to keep the monster at bay.
A desperate attempt to escape your fate
Of course, you’ll have a variety of ways to steer clear of the Dream Hunter in tonnes of different Game Modes for you and your friends to tinker around with. Apart from the Classic Map, the Ice and Snow Map lets you become the Dream Hunter as you try to break down the door to eliminate the sleeping students. In the Story Mode, you can choose from the Moss Room, Catch All at a Time, Reclaim Ghost, Preventable and Controllable, Sell Off Their Property, Help Teammates, and Only One will Survive modes.
There’s also a unique Seven Monsters Mode where players progress through seven levels to win. They have to persevere as failing or quitting halfway will reset their progress. On each level, the Dream Hunter will have a specific skill and random buffs such as moving speed +20% or attack speed +30%. There will also be random props, which gives this mode a roguelite feel.
Haunted Dorm has gained a bit of a cult following since its global launch in February this year, boasting the top spot in TapTap’s popularity rankings in China plus an App Store Free Games Ranking No.4 under its belt. If you’re keen on giving yourself a scare, you can download the game on the iOS App Store and on the Google Play Store for Android devices today. It’s a free-to-play game with in-app advertisements.
Sponsored Content
This article is sponsored content written by TouchArcade and published on behalf of Mihuan to promote their horror-themed tower defense title Haunted Dorm. For questions or comments, please email [email protected]
SpongeBob SolitairePants() is this week’s new Apple Arcade game and it is out now as the final release of November 2022 on the service. SpongeBob SolitairePants has multiplayer battles, a solo quest mode, classic mode, and more alongside daily competitions. It is an Arcade Original out now. Grab it here on Apple Arcade. Check out our new forum thread for it here for discussion and more. Alongside SpongeBob SolitairePants, many notable games in the service have gotten updates.
Air Twister has a new limited time event on from now until December 23rd. This lets you earn new outfit items. The update also adds a new ‘One Hit Death’ difficulty to Arcade Mode alongside a new app icon to celebrate the event. Jetpack Joyride 2 adds in new story levels across the Neontropolis, a new skin, the PoP N Weapon powerup, and more today. Red Games Co’s Crayola Create and Play+ celebrates the holiday season with new decorations, activities, events, and daily gifts. The daily gifts begin from December 1st until December 25th. Gear Club Stradale gets its seventh update today letting you test cards in a new Test Drive mode, a redone on boarding experience, a new car, and more.
SP!NG is the final notable update of the week with it bringing chapter 11 of the lost levels for all players. Following the updates, check out our forum threads for Air Twisterhere, Gear Club Stradalehere, SP!NGhere, Jetpack Joyride 2here, and Crayola Create and Play+here. For all other Apple Arcade related things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of the recent Apple Arcade releases this month?
Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for November 24th, 2022. In today’s article, we’ve got a bunch of new releases to check out. Nothing immediately jumps to the front of the pack, but there are several interesting titles to consider. We’ve got summaries of all of them to help you make your decisions. After that, there are a few new sales to check out. We’ve got lists of the incoming and outgoing sales for the day. Let’s get into it!
News
Check Out the Latest Trailer for ‘Fire Emblem Engage’
Yes, I’m starting to get excited for Fire Emblem Engage. I love this series and I’m always happy to have another one on the horizon. As I mentioned when I posted the last trailer Nintendo put out, I’m not really watching any of this stuff anymore. I want to savor that flavor when the game is in my hands. But if you are more into getting all the information you can ahead of time, here’s a beefy new trailer for you to watch.
New Releases
Aliisha: The Oblivion of Twin Goddesses ($32.99)
This is a weird one. You play as two sisters in this adventure game. One of them uses motion controls and is meant to be played with your console in TV mode. The other uses touch controls and is meant to be played in handheld mode. You can play alone and apparently it is possible to play through the game in one mode, but the ideal set-up sees one player playing in TV mode while another player uses their handheld in local wireless mode to play the other sister’s mode. Does it work? I haven’t had the chance to try it, but I suppose I applaud the idea of trying something different.
Primal Light ($14.99)
A 16-bit style 2D action platformer with a decidedly 8-bit sensibility to its design and difficulty. You battle your way through ten linear levels, mastering new abilities and sniffing out secrets as you go. This one came out a couple of years ago on Steam and the response seems to be generally favorable while also acknowledging this is a tough nut to crack. If you like your platformers grungy and mean-spirited, you’ll want to give this a closer look.
Savior of the Abyss ($9.99)
Here’s another horror game made in an RPG Maker style, similar in form and broad function to Corpse Party. It seems fine, and reviews are decent if not particularly enthusiastic on other platforms. Regular readers know I’m not particularly partial to horror games, so that’s as far as my investigations will go. If you think Corpse Party is the bee’s knees, this might be for you.
Arcade Archives Galaxian ($7.99)
Namco’s 1979 shooter hit Galaxian is the first 1970s game to join the Arcade Archives line-up, apparently. As a bonus, this is one of those games that isn’t in the existing Namco Museum for Switch. What can be said about it? It feels like the bridge between Taito’s Space Invaders and the far more exciting Galaga that it in fact is. The pace is slow and methodical, but there’s a certain joy to trying to get a high score in it. Definitely one for those with some nostalgia or interest in gaming history, but others will likely want to look to the more fast-paced Gaplus or wait for Galaga.
Watch Over Christmas ($16.99)
I guess it’s time for the games that try to capitalize on Christmas to arrive. This one is a point-and-click style adventure game, and it thankfully doesn’t look as ramshackle as a lot of Christmas games seem to end up being. You have to save Christmas by solving puzzles in over sixty scenes to rescue Santa. The developers have apparently done their best to not make the puzzles too ridiculous, so that’s something. I’ll probably stick with Christmas NiGHTS to get into a festive mood, but that’s just me.
Scar of the Doll: A Psycho-Horror Story about the Mystery of an Older Sister ($9.99)
Phew, that’s a title and a half. This one originally released back in 1998, and this remake spiffs up various elements and adds some new content to sweeten the pot. A young woman’s older sister mysteriously disappears and her investigations to find her lead her into horror after horror. The localization for this visual novel seems to be very rough, and that’s about the last thing you want to see in a game like this. Do what you must.
Floating Cloud God: Anniversary Edition ($7.99)
An unusual side-scrolling shooter where the power of your attacks is based on how many followers you’ve got by your side. You have to protect them, because if they are taken out your ability to defend yourself will be greatly diminished. Add in a distinctive look and you’ve got a game that is doing its best to stand out in a crowded genre. The original game came out ten years ago as a PlayStation Mini, and it enjoyed good reviews at that time. This new version has some improvements and additions, but is basically the same game.
Monmusu Gladiator ($5.99)
This is a roguelite RPG about raising monster girls and battling your way through tournaments. Battles are more or less the usual card game stuff. It’s reasonably priced, so it may appeal to some. I need a good reason to pay attention to games of this sort these days, though. I’ve played too many of them.
Swoon! Earth Escape ($29.99)
A side-scrolling platformer about an alien trying to escape from Earth. There are five worlds to play through, and you can unlock new suits and skills along the way that will grant you abilities you can use for solving puzzles or beating enemies. There are lots of collectibles to grab as well. It looks okay, but I’m always cagey about premium-priced platformers from a relatively unknown developer. I’ll let you know if it ends up surprising me.
Blade of Darkness ($14.99)
Oh, this is Severance: Blade of Darkness. This game originally came out on PC something like twenty years ago, and if I remember right, it was pretty decent for the time. I have no idea how it holds up now, but if you have nostalgia for a very particular time and place in gaming history you might want to give this a shot. You pick one of four characters and head out to slice and dice monsters in order to save the world. My biggest memory of this is that you can chop off limbs and use them as weapons. Ah, the early 00s.
Legendary Heroes ($4.99)
Kind of a real-time strategy RPG, a bit like a single-player MOBA in feel. There are ten different characters to choose from, and you’ll develop them over the course of the game by gaining experience points and leveling up. I’m not really seeing much of a hook here, but I suppose five-dollar games don’t need one to sell most of the time.
Half Dead 3 ($4.99)
A low-cost room-by-room adventure game that is intended to be enjoyed in multiplayer. Up to four players can join in via online multiplayer, and I’m pretty sure that is the only way to get much fun out of this. At least it’s cheap? Get some friends and you’ll get an hour or two of laughs out of it. Some of the death traps are pretty funny.
A Building Full of Cats ($2.99)
Explore a building full of cats and pet all of them. Many of them are hidden. There are more than three hundred cats to pet across several floors of the building. It’s nice when a game is straightforward about what you get. Three bucks, find cats. That sound good to you? Then here you go.
Freud’s Bones – The Game ($12.99)
It’s always a bit interesting when a game’s description on the eShop spends almost as time talking about its history than on the game itself. This one seems to have quite the story behind it, though I’m sure most games do. Little miracles to the last. Anyway, this is a very unusual adventure game about Sigmund Freud. I’ll try not to hold that against it. Just about everything, from the presentation to the puzzles, is distinct. Is it good? Well, I’ll leave that to you to decide, but it has had a fairly sunny reception on other platforms.
My Downtown ($19.99)
Another somewhat absurdly-priced matching puzzle game from the folks at Green Sauce Games. You get more than a hundred levels to play, and between the puzzles you can customize your city. You can get this for less than half the price on mobile, and I’d imagine it plays just fine over there. But hey, clearly these are finding an audience or they wouldn’t keep coming.
Arctictopia ($5.00)
This is a puzzle game where you have to help a mother polar bear rescue her cub in more than one hundred and fifty levels. The ice you travel on is treacherous, and each step you take makes it melt away a little more. You’ll have to plan your steps carefully, especially as things get more difficult. A cute little puzzler for a fiver.
Retro Goal ($4.99)
There are a lot of cheap soccer games on the Nintendo eShop, and you’d be forgiven for thinking this is just another one not worth paying attention to. But this is from the same developer as New Star Manager and Retro Bowl, and it has a good history of making decent, playable games. Retro Goal is another one. It’s single-player only, and blends 90s-style arcade soccer with a management component. Not a bad way to spend a little time and money, if you’re soccer-inclined.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Not a big list, but it really couldn’t be, could it? What’s here is nice, though. You’ve got a selection of games from the folks at Inti Creates, and it’s hard to go wrong with any of them. There’s also a new low price on Minecraft Dungeons: Ultimate Edition, and the excellent shooter Eschatos is also hitting a post-launch low. Not much in the outbox, but have a look at it as well.
Select New Games on Sale
Azure Striker Gunvolt Striker Pack ($19.99 from $39.99 until 11/30) Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 ($25.49 from $29.99 until 11/30) GC: Luminous Avenger iX($7.49 from $14.99 until 11/30) GC: Luminous Avenger iX 2 ($18.74 from $24.99 until 11/30) Mighty Gunvolt Burst($3.99 from $9.99 until 11/30) Bloodstained Curse of the Moon ($4.99 from $9.99 until 11/30) Bloodstained Curse of the Moon 2 ($7.49 from $14.99 until 11/30) Blaster Master Zero ($4.99 from $9.99 until 11/30) Blaster Master Zero 2($4.99 from $9.99 until 11/30) Blaster Master Zero 3($8.24 from $14.99 until 11/30) Dragon Marked for Death AA($7.49 from $14.99 until 11/30) Dragon Marked for Death FF($7.49 from $14.99 until 11/30) Street Cleaner: The Video Game($9.00 from $15.00 until 11/30) Eschatos($20.24 from $26.99 until 12/1) Buried Stars ($13.49 from $44.99 until 12/1) Minecraft Dungeons Ultimate ($24.79 from $39.99 until 12/5) New Tales from the Borderlands Deluxe ($37.49 from $49.99 until 12/5) Vampire the Masquerade SoNY ($3.24 from $12.99 until 12/14) Vampire the Masquerade CoNY ($2.99 from $19.99 until 12/14)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Friday, November 25th
Agatha Christie: Hercule Poirot ($14.99 from $29.99 until 11/25) Akinofa($1.99 from $4.99 until 11/25) Asterix & Obelix XXL Romastered ($8.99 from $29.99 until 11/25) Beyond a Steel Sky ($15.99 from $39.99 until 11/25) Multi Race: Match the Car ($2.99 from $9.99 until 11/25) Murder Mystery Machine ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/25) My Universe: Cooking Star ($7.49 from $29.99 until 11/25) My Universe: Doctors & Nurses($14.99 from $29.99 until 11/25) My Universe: My Baby($8.99 from $29.99 until 11/25) My Universe: Pet Clinic ($5.99 from $29.99 until 11/25) PigShip & the Giant Wolf ($3.59 from $7.99 until 11/25) Pinball Jam ($11.24 from $24.99 until 11/25) Railways($3.20 from $4.99 until 11/25) Sakura MMO 3 ($7.99 from $9.99 until 11/25) The Sisters: Party of the Year ($14.99 from $29.99 until 11/25) XIII($27.99 from $39.99 until 11/25)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with the rest of the new releases for the week, plus whatever new sales roll in during the next twenty-four hours. If any big news happens, we’ll have that as well. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to Pokemon. I hope you all have a great Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!
After The King of Fighters 2003 ACA NeoGeo hit iOS and Android through SNK and Hamster, we have a new release in the classics series on mobile with Top Hunter Roddy and Cathy . Top Hunter Roddy and Cathy is a side-scrolling action game from SNK that debuted back in 1994. It has a 2-line system where you throw, shoot, and use special attacks on the space pirates. As with prior releases, I need to let you know that you might run into iOS 16-specific issues with leaderboards in these releases. I’ve had the games from this series work fine after waiting for a bit on initial load. Check out a screenshot from the Android version of Top Hunter Roddy and Cathy ACA NeoGeo below.
You can buy Top Hunter Roddy and Cathy ACA NeoGeo on the App Store for iOS here and Google Play for Android here. As with prior releases on mobile, this costs half of what it does on consoles at $3.99. If you’ve not heard of the series or seen it in action on mobile yet, Shaun has reviewed most of the releases so far in the ACA NeoGeo series on iOS. Check out his reviews for Samurai Shodown IVhere, Alpha Mission IIhere, Metal Slug 5here, Shock Troopershere, NAM-1975here, ZED BLADEhere, PUZZLEDhere, The King of Fighters 2002here, Big Tournament Golfhere, King of the Monstershere, Last Resorthere, Aero Fighters 2here, Burning Fighthere, Robo Armyhere, Mutation Nationhere, Twinkle Star Spriteshere, and Aero Fighters 3here. Check out the official website for the series on mobile here. What’s your favorite recent ACA NeoGeo release and are you grabbing this side-scrolling action game?
Each and every day new mobile games are hitting the App Store, and so each week we put together a big old list of all the best new releases of the past seven days. Back in the day the App Store would showcase the same games for a week, and then refresh those features each Thursday. Because of that developers got into the habit of releasing their games throughout Wednesday or very early Thursday in order to hopefully get one of those coveted features spots. Nowadays the App Store refreshes constantly, so the need for everyone to release all on the same day has diminished. Still, we’ve kept our weekly Wednesday night format as for years that’s the time people knew to check TouchArcade for the list of new games. And so without further ado please check out the full list of this week’s new games below, and let us know in the comments section which games you’ll be picking up!
Have you ever wanted to build your very own brick city but don’t have the space? Build and share your very own cities by creating every detail from the ground up – skyscrapers, fire stations, taxis – if you can dream it you can build it in Brictopia!
Embrace the freedom of being a street racer in the dynamic open world of CarX Street. Accept the challenge and become the legend of Sunset City. Realistic races on highways and city streets, plus top-speed drift races from the makers of CarX Drift Racing 2. Build the car of your dreams using part tuning that unlocks all the physics of CarX Technology car behavior.
Tik tok…5 MINUTES….Tik tok….Can you save the world in only 5 MINUTES? All you can do is try to survive and defeat the boss or die trying to give humanity a second chance. Final 5 is a fast-paced, fun shooter, melee, time survival, adventure, action RPG simulator games with roguelite and roguelike elements. There’s no place else to run or hide, survival is your only goal.
Finding Paradise is the 2nd full episode of To the Moon’s series. It follows the life of the doctors’ new patient, Colin, as they attempt to unravel a life that is split down the middle, and fulfill a wish that appears to be self-contradictory by nature.
Dr. Rosalene and Dr. Watts have peculiar jobs: They give people another chance to live, all the way from the very beginning… but only in their patients’ heads.
Due to the severity of the operation, the new life becomes the last thing the patients remember before drawing their last breath. Thus, the operation is only done to people on their deathbeds, to fulfill what they wish they had done with their lives, but didn’t.
“Warning! Fatal Error: System integrity severely compromised…”
This is an unprecedented threat to the existence of Dolls. In face of formidable enemies and a future filled with uncertainties, the scattered Dolls grit their teeth and steel themselves as they travel in search of the slim hope of salvation.
Humankind may have abandoned them, but as the person in charge of “Project Neural Cloud”, you have steadfastly set foot in this unknown land and founded the “Exiles” as you take in meandering Dolls. With you as their leader, the Exiles shall explore the secrets of the world, find a way out of this desperate situation, and uncover the truth…
Sky Gamblers: Air Supremacy 2 is a dogfight simulator taking its roots from the original classic hit. Rich combat mechanics and a spot-on balance between simulation and arcade make it accessible to all player types and allows for a personalized experience with varied control schemes and play styles. The single player campaign takes the player into a dark and grim future where air supremacy is all that prevents the world balance of power from collapsing. The 14 missions take you through different challenges across the world with both air to ground and air to air engagements.
Station 117 is a first-person point and click mystery adventure game.
In an undisclosed location, somewhere on the floor of the Pacific ocean, is Station 117 – a classified research facility doing totally secret work. Seriously, don’t ask what they’re doing. Sometimes even they don’t know.
However, as it always does, something went wrong.
As Jerry Goodman – genius, billionaire, playboy, amateur marine biologist – you’ve stumbled upon the station completely by mistake.
Due to your unlimited curiosity, and let’s face it dumb stupidity, you go inside.
Celebrating 10 years of the SAO anime, the new mobile game Sword Art Online Variant Showdown is finally here!
When Kirito and his friends hear about a new game called Cross Edge that is supposedly causing memory loss to its players, they set off to investigate… But while playing Cross Edge, they are ambushed by a mysterious presence!
Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for November 23rd, 2022. In today’s article, we’ve got one more review from our pal Mikhail (the man was seriously on overdrive this week) before heading into the few new releases of the day. After summarizing those, we’ve got the lists of new and outgoing sales for the day. I know, you wouldn’t think there would be much more that could go on sale, but life finds a way. Let’s get to work!
Reviews & Mini-Views
Totally Accurate Battle Simulator ($19.99)
Totally Accurate Battle Simulator is one of those games that is mostly ignored by enthusiast gaming circles and publications. I’ve owned it on Steam for a while now, and only decided to try it when it was announced for Nintendo Switch to get a taste of what I’d be playing when it hit the eShop. The new Nintendo Switch port gave me a good excuse to check it out on both Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch ahead of its upcoming mobile release to see if this popular physics-based sandbox simulation experience was fun on Switch with the various changes made to fit the platform.
In many cases, developers will just downport their existing games to Switch without doing specific gameplay tweaks for the platform resulting in poor performance or visuals. Ideally, every Switch port should bring over the complete experience, but it isn’t possible in some situations like Totally Accurate Battle Simulator has highlighted in the blog post linked above. I’m looking forward to seeing if the team can bring over some of the content that was cut in the future. In its current state, it still has a lot included with modes I didn’t expect to make it over already being included.
Right now, Totally Accurate Battle Simulator is a game I’d recommend on PC over Switch if you have that option. In its current state, it is a bit lacking on Switch. I’ve had fun with it over the last two weeks, but it does feel like this is more akin to an early access launch compared to the PC version. I’m surprised at how well it runs in some cases on Switch with good visuals, but it still needs some more work to be an easy recommendation. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
New Releases
Just Dance 2023 Edition ($59.99)
The three inevitabilities in life: death, taxes, and Just Dance. The latest one seems to be trying a new DLC-focused model, but I’m going to pretend it’s just business as usual. That means the bundle that includes the 2023 DLC, which gives you forty tracks to dance to. It includes tunes from BTS, Bruno Mars, Billie Eilish, Glass Animals, and many more. At least the new model allows you to try it out before you buy it, though I imagine most of us have made up our minds on Just Dance a long time ago.
Cleopatra Fortune S-Tribute ($14.99)
Another emulated SEGA Saturn game from City Connection, this time Taito’s console port of its unique falling block puzzler Cleopatra Fortune. You can play in an Arcade Mode that is more or less just the arcade game, or the Mystery Mode where you complete stages and follow a story. I… wouldn’t count on that story being in English, but I guess we’ll see. This emulator has seen some improvements since it was used for the Cotton games, and you can make use of all of the extra features like rewind and quick saves.
Dead Station ($4.99)
A pretty bland side scroller about an astronaut exploring a space station that appears to be in some kind of trouble. It’s affordable, I guess. It seems to be available on Android, so if you have an Android device you can give it a try for free and see how you like it.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
So yes, a few more sales to consider. I’d say the most interesting things here are the first post-release sale on the amusing platformer C.A.R.L. and the first sale of any kind on Disney Dreamlight Valley. Not too much to get fussy about in the outbox, but have a look at it anyway and see how it grabs you.
Select New Games on Sale
Fishing Paradiso ($13.49 from $14.99 until 11/29) Bear’s Restaurant($9.74 from $12.99 until 11/29) Cupid Parasite ($24.99 from $49.99 until 11/29) Nun Massacre ($3.59 from $5.99 until 11/29) Fairy Fencer F ADF($5.99 from $29.99 until 11/29) Azur Lane: Crosswave ($14.99 from $49.99 until 11/29) Super Neptunia RPG ($11.99 from $39.99 until 11/29) Death end re;Quest ($8.99 from $29.99 until 11/29) Death end re;Quest 2 ($19.99 from $49.99 until 11/29) Arc of Alchemist ($11.99 from $39.99 until 11/29) Mary Skelter Finale($19.99 from $49.99 until 11/29) RiffTrax: The Game ($6.99 from $9.99 until 11/29) Dusk Diver 2 ($39.99 from $49.99 until 11/29) Amnesia: Memories ($39.99 from $49.99 until 11/29) Amnesia: Later x Crowd ($39.99 from $49.99 until 11/29)
Neptunia X Senran Kagura ($19.99 from $49.99 until 11/29) Moero Chronicle Hyper($7.99 from $19.99 until 11/29) Megadimension Neptunia VII($8.99 from $29.99 until 11/29) Bus Driving Simulator 22 ($19.59 from $27.99 until 11/30) C.A.R.L.($9.89 from $14.99 until 11/30) A Robot Named Fight ($1.99 from $12.99 until 11/30) Overlord Escape from Nazarick ($20.99 from $29.99 until 11/30) Here Comes Niko! ($17.49 from $24.99 until 11/30) Mary Skelter 2 ($9.99 from $39.99 until 11/30) Billion Road ($6.99 from $19.99 until 11/30) ARK: Survival Evolved ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/30) Catlateral Damage: Remeowstered($7.49 from $14.99 until 11/30) even if Tempest ($42.49 from $49.99 until 12/3) Kings of Paradise ($12.49 from $24.99 until 12/3) Jetboard Joust ($4.99 from $9.99 until 12/5)
Disney Dreamlight Valley ($25.49 from $29.99 until 12/5) Coromon($14.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Dark Deity($12.49 from $24.99 until 12/5) Cat Cafe Manager($11.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Ruin Raiders ($9.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) One More Island ($13.99 from $19.99 until 12/5)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Thursday, November 24th
A Juggler’s Tale ($10.79 from $17.99 until 11/24) Basketball Club Story($7.00 from $14.00 until 11/24) Bot Vice ($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/24) Boxing Gym Story ($8.40 from $14.00 until 11/24) Deadly Days ($2.08 from $18.99 until 11/24) Fashion Princess ($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/24) HunterX($10.49 from $14.99 until 11/24) Juicy Realm ($11.99 from $14.99 until 11/24) Kao the Kangaroo Bundle ($24.49 from $34.99 until 11/24) Magic Code ($1.99 from $12.48 until 11/24) Moncage($11.99 from $14.99 until 11/24) Monster Destroyer ($3.56 from $7.13 until 11/24) Mutant Mudds Collection ($4.99 from $19.99 until 11/24) Nerf Legends Digital Deluxe ($11.99 from $59.99 until 11/24) NHRA Championship Racing ($24.99 from $49.99 until 11/24)
NHRA Championship Racing Deluxe ($29.99 from $59.99 until 11/24) NHRA Championship Racing Ult. ($39.99 from $79.99 until 11/24) Odallus: The Dark Call($1.99 from $11.99 until 11/24) Oniken: Unstoppable ($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/24) Slain: Back From Hell($2.99 from $19.99 until 11/24) Soccer Slammers ($4.99 from $9.99 until 11/24) Street Outlaws 2 Digital Deluxe ($11.99 from $59.99 until 11/24) Tennis Club Story ($7.00 from $14.00 until 11/24) They Bleed Pixels ($1.99 from $14.99 until 11/24) To the Moon ($9.59 from $11.99 until 11/24) Valfaris($7.49 from $24.99 until 11/24) XEL($11.39 from $18.99 until 11/24) Xeodrifter($4.99 from $9.99 until 11/24)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with a bunch of new releases, plus whatever sales can be pulled from between the sofa cushions. There could be some news, but we’ll have to see. I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday, and as always, thanks for reading!
Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for November 22nd, 2022. Well, the sales came. I don’t know what I was hoping for, but they came. I’ve got a partial list here and will do some highlights in a separate article, but there are also some reviews and new releases to deal with as well. There’s also some news! Yes indeed, all the boxes are checked today. Let’s dig in!
News
Tee Up in Next Week’s Update to ‘Nintendo Switch Sports’
It’s coming in a little later than originally expected, but the big update for Nintendo Switch Sports will finally release next week. It adds golf to the list of the game’s events, with twenty-one holes drawn from the Wii Sports series. The update is free and will be available on November 28th, which is next Monday for those who don’t have a calendar handy.
It’s just about time for the third wave of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass to release. On December 7th, another eight courses will be available to those who have bought the pass or subscribe to the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pass. Those courses are Wii Maple Treeway, 3DS Rainbow Road, GBA Boo Lake, Tour Berlin Byways, 3DS Rock Rock Mountain, DS Peach Gardens, Tour London Loop, and Tour Merry Mountain.
Reviews & Mini-Views
A Little to the Left ($14.99)
A Little to the Left from Max Inferno and Secret Mode is a relaxing puzzle game about organizing, tidying up, and soaking in the lovely visuals. I’m a big fan of Unpacking, and A Little to the Left delivers in a similar manner. Your aim is to move household objects into the right spots across various puzzles that have unique solutions. It starts out simple, but things get interesting despite some later puzzles involving a bit too much trial and error.
In its current state, A Little to the Left has a lot of puzzles in the base game and a daily puzzle mechanic that brings a new twist on a standard puzzle each day. This is good for those who want more after completing the core experience. There is no shortage of good puzzle games on Switch, and despite launching in a very busy release period, A Little to the Left has been a nice break from other busier games.
It also has gotten a great Switch conversion that uses the system’s features well. It has excellent HD Rumble, full touchscreen support, and looks excellent on the OLED screen. Some minor performance issues and control touch or click targets being a bit small in some puzzles hold it back right now. If you enjoy relaxing puzzle games, A Little to the Left is definitely worth checking out. I hope some of the control issues can be addressed in future updates. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
OlliOlli World: Finding the Flowzone ($9.99)
Ever since I reviewed OlliOlli World, I’ve been going back to older levels and slowly making my way through the DLC on Switch, Steam Deck, and PS5. While I’ve had fun with it on all platforms, the PS5 version with its DualSense features has become my new favorite way to play it. With the VOID Riders DLC releasing a little while ago, OlliOlli World: Finding the Flowzone is the finale for the Roll7’s awesome new game and I’ve enjoyed everything it has brought to the experience.
You need to complete a good amount of the base game to be able to unlock OlliOlli World: Finding the Flowzone. Once you do unlock it, expect to be reminded of Judas Priest’s Riding on the Wind because that’s pretty much what you’re going to be doing while performing various tricks. The levels here impressed and frustrated me in parts, but I’ve come away pleased with the value offered in the OlliOlli World Expansion Pass. I’d say the DLC packs aren’t worth their individual prices, but the Expansion Pass is more than worth it if you enjoyed the base game.
The only downsides to this DLC have to do with the difficulty. It is definitely going to be a bit much for those who didn’t enjoy the later parts of the base game. It is a bit easier than VOID Riders though. I love the new mechanics and the faster-paced nature of the stages here. Also while it wasn’t promised or even hinted towards, I still wish OlliOlli World wasn’t done yet and we could see more from it. Hopefully the team is working on a full sequel using this as a base.
OlliOlli World remains one of my favorite games of 2022, and the OlliOlli World: Finding the Flowzone DLC is the perfect finale to it. I still remember being skeptical of OlliOlli World when it was originally announced, and I’m glad to have eaten crow multiple times on this release. OlliOlli World is superb, and while the first DLC isn’t as good, the team knocked it out of the park for OlliOlli World: Finding the Flowzone. Now we need to get a complete physical release with everything on cartridge. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5
Heidelberg 1693 ($14.99)
There’s a certain type of player that is going to like Heidelberg 1693 a lot, and I imagine just about anyone else is going to check out after a level or two. This is a difficult 2D action game that intentionally chooses to give you a character with heavy limitations to his abilities. It’s not enough to have good reflexes here, though you will need those. You also need to carefully consider each of your actions, because it’s very easy to commit yourself to a move that will get you killed before you’re free to react again. It reminds me a little of Castlevania, but it reminds me more of Ghosts ‘n Goblins. It doesn’t feel bad to play, but there is a very specific vibe to it and you will have to learn to match its pace rather than trying to force it to your own.
If you can do that, you’ll find Heidelberg 1693 an atmospheric and rewarding game that will frustrate the hell out of you while also enticing you to come back for another beating. It’s gory, dark, and thoroughly interested in killing you again and again. The level designs and enemy placements are solid, and the selection of sub-weapons helps keep your arsenal fresh as you pick your way through the game. There are just over twenty levels, but you’ll fight tooth and nail to get through them. Boss battles are particularly punishing and memorable. Ultimately, this is a game I liked well enough but also find hard to recommend.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
RWBY: Arrowfell ($29.99)
It’s always a little tough for me to review a licensed game wherein I am largely unfamiliar with the license. Frankly speaking, I doubt anyone who isn’t interested in the brand is going to pick this up. Like, maybe if it was exceptional there would be some people willing to jump in, and there could be some WayForward fans who just follow the developer wherever they go. But I imagine if you are considering this game, it’s because you like RWBY. And if that is the case, I have to believe you’ll have a decent time with this. It uses all of the main characters and puts effort into making sure they play differently and express their personalities. You interact with other characters from the show and visit a variety of places in its world. The gameplay is more than competent, if more than a little repetitive. It’s neither brilliant nor bad.
So yes, if you like RWBY, this game will probably do enough to entertain you. If you don’t, you can probably find better choices to get your 2D platformer kicks. RWBY: Arrowfell reminds me of a lot of WayForward’s other licensed games in that it’s amusing enough to play but not much more than that. It has a few interesting elements but nothing big enough to help the game stand out. It’s certainly better than the average licensed game, but it’s not up to the level of the developer’s best fare in this genre. RWBY fans should have a nice time, at least.
SwitchArcade Score: 3/5
New Releases
Ship of Fools ($14.99)
A cooperative roguelite game for one or two players via local or online multiplayer. You’re on a ship voyaging across the sea and need to defend it against aquatic menaces. There are plenty of monsters to fight, procedurally generated maps full of twists, plenty of Fools with their own special abilities, and plenty of trinkets and artifacts to collect and use. Seems promising, and I rather like its art style.
Saint Kotar ($34.99)
This is a point-and-click style adventure game where you play as two men who are exploring a mysterious town in search of some missing family. There’s something fishy going on in this place, and you’ll soon find yourself facing the darkness. This game released on Steam about a year ago and the overall response has more or less been middling. If you love the genre and premise you might get something from it.
Sales
Oh, it’s Black Friday sales time. You know the routine by now; I won’t be making an exhaustive list by any means, but do keep an eye out for a separate article I’m doing with the best of the best. Until then, enjoy sifting through this good-sized sliver of the entire offering.
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Select New Games on Sale
Supaplex GO!($4.49 from $14.99 until 11/26) For The Warp ($10.79 from $17.99 until 12/5) TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection ($27.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) No Man’s Sky ($47.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) Return to Monkey Island ($22.49 from $24.99 until 12/5) AI Somnium Files nirvanA Intiative ($41.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) Super Mario 3D World + BF ($41.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe ($41.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) Luigi’s Mansion 3 ($41.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) Mario & Sonic at the 2020 Games ($35.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) Mario Tennis Aces($41.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Gold($70.19 from $89.99 until 12/5) Kirby Star Allies ($41.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) Fire Emblem Three Houses ($41.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword ($41.99 from $59.99 until 12/5)
Astral Chain ($41.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 ($41.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) Bravely Default II($41.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania ($23.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Puyo Puyo Tetris($7.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 ($15.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Valkryia Chronicles ($5.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Valkyria Chronicles 4 ($8.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) Valkyria Chronicles 4 CE ($14.99 from $49.99 until 12/5) Shining Resonance Refrain ($5.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) SEGA Genesis Classics($8.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) Sonic Origins ($19.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Sonic Origins Digital Deluxe ($22.49 from $44.99 until 12/5) Sonic Colors: Ultimate($19.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Sonic Colors: Ultimate Deluxe ($22.49 from $4.99 until 12/5)
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax ($17.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) Persona 5 Royal ($44.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) Persona 5 Strikers Deluxe ($27.99 from $69.99 until 12/5) Shin Megami Tensei V Deluxe ($42.49 from $84.99 until 12/5) Demon Slayer Hinokami Chronicles ($35.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) Layton’s Mystery Journey ($23.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Pac-Man World Re-Pac($19.49 from $29.99 until 12/5) Pac-Man Museum+ ($11.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Klonoa Phantasy Reverie ($23.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Ni no Kuni II RK Prince’s Edition ($19.79 from $59.99 until 12/5) Taiko no Tatsujin Rhythm Festival ($34.99 from $49.99 until 12/5) SD Gundam Battle Alliance ($41.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) LEGO Brawls($27.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Cult of the Lamb ($19.99 from $24.99 until 12/5) Overpass($10.99 from $54.99 until 12/5)
Roguebook($12.49 from $24.99 until 12/5) Cricket 22 ($24.99 from $49.99 until 12/5) The Unicorn Princess($7.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Gloom and Doom ($33.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid ($27.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Ambition: A Minuet in Power ($13.39 from $19.99 until 12/5) EA Sports FIFA 23 Legacy($19.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Legends of Amberland ($5.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) DREAMO($2.99 from $14.99 until 12/5) Strange Horticulture($10.04 from $14.99 until 12/5) Temtem($35.99 from $44.99 until 12/5) Temtem: Deluxe($51.99 from $64.99 until 12/5) Spidersaurs($13.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium Bundle 1 ($29.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Blackguards 2 ($5.99 from $14.99 until 12/5)
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure All-Star ($34.99 from $49.99 until 12/5) Snake Pass ($2.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) The Jackbox Party Starter ($13.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Retro Pocket Rocket($2.00 from $2.99 until 12/5) Haven Park($4.49 from $8.99 until 12/5) Skullgirls 2nd Encore ($8.49 from $24.99 until 12/5) Rabbids Party of Legends ($19.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Zorro the Chronicles ($20.99 from $34.99 until 12/5) Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi ($41.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon ($14.99 from $24.99 until 12/5) Arcade Classics Anniversary($3.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Contra Anniversary Collection ($3.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Castlevania Anniversary Collection($3.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Castlevania Advance Collection ($11.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Monster Hunter Rise ($19.99 from $39.99 until 12/5)
Monster Hunter Rise Deluxe ($24.99 from $49.99 until 12/5) Monster Hunter Rise + Sunbreak($39.89 from $69.99 until 12/5) Monster Hunter Stories 2 ($19.79 from $59.99 until 12/5) Monster Hunter Stories 2 Deluxe ($24.49 from $69.99 until 12/5) Dragon Ball FighterZ ($8.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) Dragon Ball The Breakers ($14.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Wolfenstein Youngblood ($3.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Wolfenstein Youngblood Deluxe ($5.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) Root Letter Last Answer ($2.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) Root Double BC*AD Xtend ($18.39 from $45.99 until 12/5) Disney Magical World 2 EE ($19.99 from $49.99 until 12/5) LEGO Star Wars: TSS Deluxe ($34.99 from $69.99 until 12/5) Star Wars: KotOR ($11.14 from $14.99 until 12/5) Star Wars: KotOR II ($11.14 from $14.99 until 12/5) Star Wars Heritage Pack ($29.99 from $59.99 until 12/5)
Hot Wheels Unleashed GotY Edition ($26.99 from $89.99 until 12/5) Vagante($8.99 from $14.99 until 12/5) Rune Factory 5 ($29.99 from $49.99 until 12/5) Kingdom Rush ($2.49 from $9.99 until 12/5) Kingdom Rush Origins($3.74 from $14.99 until 12/5) Kingdom Rush Frontiers ($2.49 from $9.99 until 12/5) Gravity Heroes($7.49 from $14.99 until 12/5) Tears of Avia ($10.04 from $14.99 until 12/5) Kaichu: Kaiju Dating Sim ($5.99 from $9.99 until 12/5) Prodeus($19.99 from $24.99 until 12/5) Midnight Fight Express ($15.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Lumines Remastered($4.49 from $14.99 until 12/5) The Plane Effect($8.99 from $14.99 until 12/5) Narona Sports ($2.49 from $9.99 until 12/5) 7 Years From Now($4.99 from $9.99 until 12/5) Quantum Replica($4.99 from $9.99 until 12/5)
Raiden IV x MIKADO Remix ($14.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove ($20.79 from $39.99 until 12/5) Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon ($15.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Freddi Fish 3 ($10.49 from $14.99 until 12/5) Pajama Sam NNtHWiDO($10.49 from $14.99 until 12/5) Pajama Sam 2 ($10.49 from $14.99 until 12/5) Spy Fox in Dry Cereal ($10.49 from $14.99 until 12/5) Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo ($10.49 from $14.99 until 12/5) Putt-Putt Travels Through Time ($10.49 from $14.99 until 12/5) Broforce($2.99 from $14.99 until 12/5) Little Big Workshop ($9.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Tunche($9.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Train Valley ($5.99 from $11.99 until 12/5) Dollhouse($4.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) The Hand of Merlin ($14.99 from $29.99 until 12/5)
Hundred Days: Winemaking Simulator ($14.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) Monster Crown ($14.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) Among the Sleep Enhanced($4.99 from $24.99 until 12/5) Lone McLonegan A Western Adv. ($2.49 from $9.99 until 12/5) Ruined King: A League of Legends Story($14.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) Gal*Gun Double Peace ($27.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Gal*Gun 2($4.49 from $29.99 until 12/5) Gal*Gun Returns ($22.49 from $49.99 until 12/5) Gun Gun Pixies ($4.99 from $49.99 until 12/5) Alchemist Adventure ($8.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Supermarket Shriek ($6.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Clone Drone in the Danger Zone ($10.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Zengeon($10.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Dusk Diver ($5.24 from $34.99 until 12/5) LOL Surprise Remix WRtW ($19.99 from $39.99 until 12/5)
Roah($12.49 from $24.99 until 12/5) Black Book($12.49 from $24.99 until 12/5) Monstrum($4.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) Adam’s Venture Origins($4.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Warborn($6.24 from $24.99 until 12/5) .hack//G.U. Last Recode ($24.99 from $49.99 until 12/5) Lost Ruins ($13.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) The Jackbox Party Pack 9 ($23.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) SongPop Party ($14.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Hammerwatch($1.99 from $9.99 until 12/5) Story of Seasons Friends of Mineral Town($19.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Story of Seasons Pioneers of Olive Town ($23.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Jack Move ($15.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Super Meat Boy ($4.94 from $14.99 until 12/5) Trivial Pursuit Live 2 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Lost in Play ($11.99 from $19.99 until 12/5)
Dropsy($7.49 from $9.99 until 12/5) Serial Cleaners ($19.99 from $24.99 until 12/5) Absolute Tactics DoM($21.24 from $24.99 until 12/5) Desert Child ($3.59 from $11.99 until 12/5) Lyrica($3.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Lyrica2 Stars Align($4.99 from $24.99 until 12/5) TOEM($7.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Maze Blaze ($2.49 from $9.99 until 12/5) Unusual Findings($15.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Lost in Random ($5.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) Mutazione($12.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Etherborn($5.09 from $16.99 until 12/5) Relic Hunters Zero Remix($7.14 from $12.99 until 12/5) Monopoly Madness ($9.89 from $29.99 until 12/5) The Darkside Detective ($3.89 from $12.99 until 12/5)
Shadowverse CB Legendary ($19.49 from $29.99 until 12/5) Exit the Gungeon ($4.99 from $9.99 until 12/5) Frogun($11.24 from $14.99 until 12/5) Tower Princess($13.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Don’t Give Up: A Cynical Tale ($1.99 from $9.99 until 12/5) Treachery in Beatdown City ($5.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Last Stop ($12.49 from $24.99 until 12/5) Rain World ($8.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Polgar Magic Detective MMJ ($7.49 from $14.99 until 12/5) Little Orpheus ($8.70 from $12.99 until 12/5) Duke Nukem 3D 20th Anniversary ($1.99 from $9.99 until 12/5) Bulletstorm Duke of Switch ($5.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) OneShot: World Machine($13.49 from $14.99 until 12/5) My Dangerous Life ($9.09 from $12.99 until 12/5) Boyfriend Dungeon ($13.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) BPM Bullets Per Minute ($19.99 from $24.99 until 12/5)
Made in Abyss: BS FiD ($47.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) ANNO Mutationem ($19.99 from $24.99 until 12/5) Light Fairytale Episode 1 ($6.69 from $9.99 until 12/5) Light Fairytale Episode 2 ($6.69 from $9.99 until 12/5) Catan($8.24 from $14.99 until 12/5) Gems of Magic: Dwarf’s Destiny ($4.99 from $9.99 until 12/5) Henchman Story ($5.24 from $14.99 until 12/5) Little Nightmares II ($9.89 from $29.99 until 12/5) PAW Patrol Movie: Adv. City Calls ($19.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Moonscars($15.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Zumba Burn It Up ($13.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Mail Mole + Xpress Deliveries ($7.49 from $14.99 until 12/5) Behind the Screen($1.99 from $9.99 until 12/5) Defoliation($1.99 from $9.99 until 12/5) Lair Land Story ($13.49 from $14.99 until 12/5) MX vs ATV All Out ($17.99 from $39.99 until 12/5)
Train Ride Simulator($3.99 from $9.99 until 12/5) No Place for Bravery ($17.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Danganronpa THH($2.99 from $14.99 until 12/5) Danganronpa 2 ($7.49 from $14.99 until 12/5) Danganronpa V3 ($14.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) Darkestville Castle ($3.74 from $14.99 until 12/5) Deck of Ashes CE ($18.74 from $24.99 until 12/5) Arcadia Fallen($17.49 from $24.99 until 12/5) Ikenfell($9.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Blossom Tales II TMP ($11.99 from $14.99 until 12/5) Unsighted($11.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Dodgeball Academia ($14.99 from $24.99 until 12/5) The Wild at Heart ($14.99 from $24.99 until 12/5) One Step From Eden ($9.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Flynn: Son of Crimson ($11.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Ring of Pain ($7.99 from $19.99 until 12/5)
Forager($6.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Archvale($10.49 from $14.99 until 12/5) The Last Campfire ($2.99 from $14.99 until 12/5) Grimvalor($4.54 from $12.99 until 12/5) Portal Knights($6.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Winkeljte: The Little Shop($11.99 from $14.99 until 12/5) Two Point Hospital Jumbo Edition ($13.59 from $39.99 until 12/5) Hunting Simulator 2 Elite ($20.99 from $69.99 until 12/5) Yu-Gi-Oh Rush Duel DotBR($25.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Tetragon($3.74 from $14.99 until 12/5) Boomerang X ($9.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Ruiner($3.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Chinatown Detective Agency ($14.99 from $24.99 until 12/5) A Little Golf Journey ($12.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Demon Turf ($17.49 from $24.99 until 12/5)
Demon Turf: Neon Splash ($4.24 from $4.99 until 12/5) Demon Turf: Bundle ($19.99 from $26.98 until 12/5) Horgihugh & Friends($20.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) REDO!($3.49 from $9.99 until 12/5) Last Day of June ($4.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Sheepo($3.84 from $10.99 until 12/5) Still There($3.74 from $14.99 until 12/5) Pocky & Rocky Reshrined ($20.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) Shishi Timeless Prelude ($7.99 from $9.99 until 12/5) A-Train: All Aboard! Tourism ($41.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) Dandy Ace ($6.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Death’s Gambit Afterlife ($11.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Rainbow Billy: TCotL($6.79 from $19.99 until 12/5) WRC 8 FIA ($9.99 from $49.99 until 12/5) Yumeutsutsu Re: Master ($25.99 from $64.99 until 12/5) Yumeutsutsu Re: After($19.99 from $49.99 until 12/5)
Fight’N Rage($6.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) LOL Surprise Movie Night($19.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Pups & Purrs Animal Hospital ($27.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) Unknown Fate ($2.24 from $14.99 until 12/5) Never Again ($4.19 from $13.99 until 12/5) CyberHive($2.99 from $9.99 until 12/5) Pad of Time($1.99 from $7.99 until 12/5) Wildcat Gun Machine ($5.99 from $14.99 until 12/5) Ghostrunner Complete($29.99 from $39.99 until 12/5) RetroMania Wrestling ($19.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) Transformers Battlegrounds CE ($11.99 from $29.99 until 12/12) Fast & Furious Spy Racers RoS CE ($18.39 from $45.98 until 12/12) River City Girls ($14.99 from $29.99 until 12/12) Filament($5.09 from $16.99 until 12/12) My Friend Peppa Pig CE ($17.99 from $44.98 until 12/12)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Wednesday, November 23rd
8 & 9 Ball Pocket($3.59 from $11.99 until 11/23) Alexio($3.49 from $4.99 until 11/23) Catana($4.89 from $6.99 until 11/23) Cursed Island($3.49 from $4.99 until 11/23) Devoured by Darkness ($4.19 from $5.99 until 11/23) Dr. Oil ($3.49 from $4.99 until 11/23) One Hell of a Ride ($4.89 from $6.99 until 11/23) Please Touch the Artwork ($5.19 from $7.99 until 11/23) Radioactive Dwarfs: EftS ($3.49 from $4.99 until 11/23) Richy’s Nightmares ($3.49 from $4.99 until 11/23) Sports & Adventure Pinball($4.49 from $14.99 until 11/23) Time on Frog Island ($14.99 from $24.99 until 11/23) Wild & Adventure Pinball($4.49 from $14.99 until 11/23)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with more new releases, a review or two, some more sales, and perhaps even some news. We’ll have to see how that last one works out. I hope you all have a terrific Tuesday, and as always, thanks for reading!
Following the recent discounts and free DLC giveaway in-game, Aspyr Media has released the Civilization VI(Free) Leader Pass for the iOS version of the game alongside an update adding support for the first pack. If you’ve not kept up with Civilization VI on mobile, it debuted on iPad for free a while ago. Since then, it has gotten updated with new DLC and expansions including the universal update and a lot more. The iOS version has always been behind consoles, but with today’s update, it is now comparable to PC with DLC. It sadly still hasn’t seen any visual or performance updates. When this pack was announced, I was hoping we’d see some long overdue visual improvements and frame rate boosts for newer devices, but things are the same. The first pack included in the pass is out now. On PC, owners of all prior DLC get the pass for free, but iOS players need to pay for it.
The Civilization VI Leader Pass includes the following packs via 2K:
Great Negotiators Pack (Pack 1): Available now – Test your diplomacy skills with the Great Negotiators Pack, including Abraham Lincoln (United States), Queen Nzinga Mbande (Kongo), and Sultan Saladin (Arabia)
Great Commanders Pack (Pack 2): Lead your troops to victory with the Great Commanders Pack, including Tokugawa (Japan), Nader Shah (Persia)3, and Suleiman the Magnificent (Ottoman Empire)4
Rulers of China Pack (Pack 3): Establish some new dynasties with the Rulers of China Pack, including Yongle, Qin Shi Huang the Unifier, and Wu Zetian
Rulers of the Sahara Pack (Pack 4): Revisit the cradle of humanity with the Rulers of the Sahara Pack, including Ramses (Egypt), Ptolemaic Cleopatra (Egypt), King Sundiata Keita (Mali)
Great Builders Pack (Pack 5): Rebuild the world better than ever with the Great Builders Pack, including Theodora (Byzantines)5, Sejong (Korea)6, and Ludwig II (Germany)
Ruler of England Pack (Pack 6): Fill out your growing collection of monarchs with the Rulers of England Pack, including Elizabeth I (England), Varangian Harald Hardrada (Norway), and Victoria – Age of Steam (England).
Some of these packs need access to prior DLC or expansions. The Leader Pass is available as an in app purchase now. Check out the official website for the Leader Pass here. If you’ve not played the base game or any prior expansions, read our initial iPad review here and my updated review with expansions and more here. I also reviewed the New Frontier Pass content and the state of the game in 2021 on iOS here. You can try out Civilization VI for free on the App Store for iOS here. We featured it as our Game of the Week when it released. Have you tried the game on iOS or any other platform yet and are you planning on buying the Leader Pass today?
Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for November 21st, 2022. In today’s article, we start things off with a handful of reviews. I’ve got my takes on McPixel 3 and Once Upon a Jester for you, while our pal Mikhail has a pair of otome visual novel Mini-Views on offer. There are only a couple of new releases to look at, but nothing to get too excited about. After that, we’ve got a giant list of new sales which I presume is the opening salvo in this year’s barrage of Black Friday sales. Let’s get to it!
Reviews & Mini-Views
McPixel 3 ($9.99)
Sometimes you play a game, finish it, and find yourself wondering what the hell you just played. That’s where I was at last night with McPixel 3 after spending about five hours playing through the whole thing in a couple of sittings. The first game is probably familiar to long-time TouchArcade readers, and this sequel is very similar to it but with the volume turned up in almost every way. If this is your first time encountering the series, it basically boils down to a bunch of timed puzzles that have several wrong answers and only one right one. The wrong ones often lead to silly outcomes, so it’s fun to chase them all down just to see what happens.
For those really well-versed in their gaming history, McPixel 3 reminds me a lot of the SEGA-CD game Panic!. The basic goal in each scene is to make sure McPixel either survives or wins. There are various hot spots you can click on, and the successful answer is rarely the one that makes the most sense at a glance. Pretty much everything you pull on will produce some kind of effect, and things can get really weird in a hurry. Pass or fail, you’ll move on to the next scene in the sequence. You keep replaying the sequence until you pass every scene, but the sequence will skip over anything you’ve successfully solved.
The game keeps track of every interesting thing you do, and each scene keeps a tally of the percentage of things you’ve found. You’ll earn a coin for all of these, and you’ll get a bonus batch of coins for getting 100% of them in a scene. Coins are used to unlock new stages, but the flow is decent enough that you’ll rarely have to hit those completions to progress. I did have to stop twice in my playthrough to go back and earn coins, though. But there’s a joy in finding all of those gags and trying to figure out the madness of the game’s logic, so it’s not that terrible of an outcome.
The humor can be a bit crude but it’s more absurd than anything else. I wouldn’t call it laugh out loud funny, as I really only chuckled a couple of times in my playthrough, but it is consistently amusing. You never quite know what is coming, and while some of the action events are a bit clumsy, nothing sticks around long enough to be annoying. The controls are good, with a button showing you all the hot spots and touch enabled for those playing in handheld mode.
I’ll be frank: if you don’t vibe with McPixel 3‘s extremely quirky sense of humor, you’ll have a miserable time with it. If you do? You’ll have a great time chasing down every last gag, good or bad. There were a couple of bits that didn’t work with me (one sequence was way too self-indulgent for my liking), but overall I found the game hard to put down until I had seen every last stupid thing it had to offer.
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
Once Upon a Jester ($14.99)
Once Upon a Jester is a unique adventure/rhythm game that makes a really dynamite first impression. You play as Jester who, along with his friend Sok, pretty much just lives to cause mischief in pursuit of a big score. He gets wind of a competition that would give him and Sok access to the Royal Palace which houses the ultra-shiny Royal Diamond. The idea is that the greatest theater performers in the land (which consists of three towns, more or less) will have a chance to perform at the Palace. Jester and Sok figure this is an easy win, despite their general lack of theatrical experience.
The game loop is fairly straightforward. You go into the town to see what people are talking about and try to get a feel for what kind of show they want to see. Next, you choose your poster, which effectively decides which of the four general play types you want to perform. You can customize the poster, but that’s just for fun. Then it’s time for the performance, where you’ll make some dialogue choices and do a variety of quick-time actions to steer the play in the desired direction. Things can veer off course pretty quickly, so exactly what story you tell is going to vary even when using the same play type. Depending on how well you please the audience, you’ll earn one to five bouquets. Your goal is to earn fifteen bouquets in each town.
The whole thing is soaked in the spirit of improv, for better or worse. Many of the voice actors are apparently from the development staff, the songs definitely sound made up on the spot, and a lot of the lines used are the first takes. I can believe all of that, but it gives the game an odd charm that I can’t deny. It’s a very cute game, and the irreverence of it all is quite endearing. The characters, story, and overall presentation are enjoyable for the few hours the game lasts. I wish I could say the same about the gameplay mechanics in the performances, which become a little too rote far too quickly. There just isn’t enough variety here despite the brief running time.
I applaud the creative spirit behind Once Upon a Jester, and I had a decent time playing through it. I’d love to see these characters again, and I hope to see more from this developer in the future. The game thankfully reaches its conclusion before the novelty wears out completely, but some parts of it get a little repetitive even within that span of time. It’s an affable affair, and its quirky charms are worth experiencing even with a few shortcomings in tow.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Amnesia: Memories ($49.99)
Amnesia: Memories was one of the two gateway games for many otome fans I know. It was either that or Hakuoki that pulled people into the genre that has kept Aksys Games and more recently Idea Factory International busy on the visual novel side. Amnesia: Memories has also been ported across multiple platforms including PC and mobile following the console releases. We reviewed the iOS version seven years ago. With so many PS Vita otome games coming to Switch, it was only a matter of time before Amnesia: Memories made the jump.
If you already played Amnesia: Memories before, you can safely skip this release. The Switch version is worth grabbing on sale if you’re new to this world, and I know I will be getting it eventually to go alongside my physical edition of Amnesia: Later x Crowd to complete the set, but I wish this was priced appropriately given its age and price on other platforms. Newcomers to the series will find a lot to like here, but it is definitely overpriced right now. –Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Amnesia: Later x Crowd ($49.99)
Amnesia: Later x Crowd is a fandisc bundle release that has finally been released in the West on Nintendo Switch. Unlike Amnesia: Memories that has been ported just about everywhere and available at a fraction of the Switch version’s asking price, Amnesia: Later x Crowd is available only on Nintendo Switch, and it is a fantastic deal if you enjoyed Amnesia: Memories.
Amnesia: Later x Crowd is a bundle featuring two fandisc games released in Japan for the price of a single Switch release in the West. It includes a lot of new story content, mini-games, and more packaged with Idea Factory’s lovely interface. It is an essential for fans of the first game. Hakuoki or Amnesia are likely the first otome game many people played, and this will serve as a nice well-priced way to revisit the world of Amnesia if you’ve been craving more from the characters.
If you’re new to the world of Amnesia and just bought Amnesia: Memories on Switch or played it across its many ports and re-releases, this is an easy recommendation. It is more than worth the asking price and is one of the better otome releases from Idea Factory International. As far as fandiscs go, this took a while to release in the West, but the wait has been worth it. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5
New Releases
Camper Van Simulator 2 ($12.99)
If you didn’t get enough hot camper van action in Camper Van Simulator, here’s 2 Camper Van 2 Simulator from BoomHits. Ten different vehicles, lots of missions to complete, and some nice outdoor locations to drive around in. Those who like to wait for deep discounts likely won’t have to wait long.
That’s a Cow ($5.99)
Yep, that’s a cow alright.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
So yes, Black Friday. It’s this week. You can tell because it’s Monday and we’ve got like a hundred new sales. As I tend to with lists this big, I will throw my hands up and let you all have a look through the discounts on your own. Have a gander at the outbox too, just in case.
Select New Games on Sale
A Juggler’s Tale ($10.79 from $17.99 until 11/24) Magic Potion Millionaire ($10.49 from $14.99 until 11/26) Lost Castle ($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/28) My Lovely Daughter ($5.99 from $14.99 until 11/28) My Lovely Wife ($11.24 from $14.99 until 11/28) Sinner: Sacrifice for Redemption ($3.79 from $18.99 until 11/28) Moon Raider ($2.49 from $9.99 until 11/28) Atelier Ryza: ED&tSH ($29.99 from $59.99 until 11/29) Atelier Ryza 2: LL&tSF ($29.99 from $59.99 until 11/29) Warp Frontier ($11.24 from $14.99 until 11/29) Slice, Dice & Rice ($5.03 from $17.99 until 11/29) dweeMIXED Thwee Pack ($11.99 from $19.99 until 11/29) Pawarumi($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/29) Hidden Through Time($3.99 from $7.99 until 11/29) War Party ($4.99 from $9.99 until 11/29)
Guns, Gore and Cannoli ($4.99 from $9.99 until 11/29) Guns, Gore and Cannoli 2 ($6.49 from $12.99 until 11/29) A Fold Apart($4.99 from $19.99 until 11/29) Voice of Cards: Beasts of Burden($23.99 from $29.99 until 11/29) Various Daylife ($20.29 from $28.99 until 11/29) Collection of SaGa: FF Legend ($11.99 from $19.99 until 11/29) Romancing SaGa 2 ($7.49 from $24.99 until 11/29) Romancing SaGa 3 ($8.69 from $28.99 until 11/29) SaGa Frontier ($14.99 from $24.99 until 11/29) SaGa Scarlet Grace Ambitions ($8.99 from $29.99 until 11/29) Yeah Yeah Beebiss II($7.49 from $9.99 until 11/29) Wytchwood($12.99 from $19.99 until 11/29) Super Meat Boy Forever($3.99 from $19.99 until 11/29) Broken Sword 5($2.99 from $29.99 until 11/29) Soundfall($14.99 from $29.99 until 11/29)
Teacup($6.49 from $9.99 until 11/29) realMyst Masterpiece Edition ($5.99 from $19.99 until 11/29) Grindstone($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/29) Superbrothers Sword & Sworcery EP ($4.99 from $9.99 until 11/29) Calico($5.99 from $11.99 until 11/29) Best Day Ever ($8.99 from $14.99 until 11/29) Scrapnaut($7.55 from $11.99 until 11/29) MacGuffin’s Curse($7.49 from $9.99 until 11/29) Thea 2: The Shattering ($12.59 from $19.99 until 11/29) Angry Alligator($12.49 from $29.99 until 11/29) Wunderling($1.99 from $14.99 until 11/29) Beach Buggy Racing 2 ($5.99 from $19.99 until 11/29) StarCrossed($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/29) Aground($7.49 from $14.99 until 11/29) Garden Story($11.99 from $19.99 until 11/29)
MLB The Show 22 ($9.99 from $59.99 until 11/29) MLB The Show 22 Deluxe($36.99 from $99.99 until 11/29) Princess Farmer ($9.74 from $14.99 until 11/29) Axiom Verge 2($15.99 from $19.99 until 11/29) Axiom Verge 1 + 2($27.98 from $39.98 until 11/29) Snooker 19 ($12.24 from $34.99 until 11/29) Chess Ultra ($4.37 from $12.49 until 11/29) Poker Club ($15.39 from $21.99 until 11/29) Ironcast($4.54 from $12.99 until 11/29) The Spectrum Retreat ($4.54 from $12.99 until 11/29) Subnautica($14.99 from $29.99 until 11/29) Subnautica Below Zero($14.99 from $29.99 until 11/29) Hob: Definitive Edition ($3.99 from $19.99 until 11/29) Torchlight II ($4.99 from $19.99 until 11/29) Torchlight III($9.99 from $39.99 until 11/29)
Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy ($19.99 from $39.99 until 11/29) Crash Bandicoot 4 ($19.99 from $39.99 until 11/29) Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled($15.99 from $39.99 until 11/29) Spyro Reignited Trilogy ($19.99 from $39.99 until 11/29) Diablo II Resurrected($19.99 from $39.99 until 11/29) Overwatch 2: Watchpoint Pack($23.99 from $39.99 until 11/29) Blizzard Arcade Collection ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/29) Perpetuum Mobile ($2.49 from $4.99 until 11/29) Robo Revenge Squad($15.00 from $20.00 until 11/29) Mayhem Brawler ($11.99 from $19.99 until 11/29) Pascal’s Wager DE ($15.99 from $19.99 until 11/29) The Last Cube($14.99 from $19.99 until 11/29) Of Mice and Sand Revised($4.09 from $9.99 until 11/29) Chaos Code New Sign of Catastrophe($5.89 from $9.99 until 11/29) Code Shifter($3.74 from $14.99 until 11/29)
Plague Inc Evolved($5.09 from $14.99 until 11/29) Armello($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/29) Sir Lovelot ($3.99 from $9.99 until 11/29) New Super Lucky’s Tale ($14.99 from $29.99 until 11/29) Blackmoor 2 ($3.99 from $4.99 until 11/29) Smash Club: Streets of Shmeenis ($2.40 from $3.00 until 11/29) Buissons($3.99 from $7.99 until 11/29) Castle Morihisa($5.99 from $14.99 until 11/29) AnShi($4.99 from $17.99 until 11/29) Cook, Serve, Delicious 2 ($2.00 from $12.99 until 11/29) Cook, Serve, Delicious 3 ($7.99 from $19.99 until 11/29) Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics ($8.74 from $24.99 until 11/29) Inferno 2($1.99 from $4.99 until 12/2) Devastator($2.79 from $6.99 until 12/2) Ever Forward ($3.74 from $14.99 until 12/2)
Hoa($3.74 from $14.99 until 12/2) SpongeBob Krusty Cook-Off ($4.94 from $14.99 until 12/2) Squish($5.99 from $14.99 until 12/2) Superbeat: XONiC ($7.49 from $29.99 until 12/2) MUSNYX($7.49 from $29.99 until 12/2) Guts ‘N Goals ($3.74 from $14.99 until 12/2) Bladed Fury ($4.99 from $19.99 until 12/2) Ikai($5.99 from $14.99 until 12/2) #Drive ($3.24 from $12.99 until 12/2) Good Pizza, Great Pizza($2.49 from $9.99 until 12/2) Attack on Beetle ($3.29 from $5.99 until 12/2) Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection ($14.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) PGA Tour 2K21($14.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) NBA 2K23 ($26.99 from $59.99 until 12/5) NBA 2K23 Jordan Edition ($49.99 from $99.99 until 12/5)
OlliOlli World Rad Edition ($30.14 from $44.99 until 12/5) The Outer Worlds ($19.79 from $59.99 until 12/5) BioShock: The Collection ($9.99 from $49.99 until 12/5) Tales from the Borderlands ($14.99 from $24.99 until 12/5) Sid Meier’s Civ VI Anthology($27.99 from $69.99 until 12/5) Commandos 3: HD Remaster ($26.99 from $29.99 until 12/5) Slime’s Journey ($3.99 from $4.99 until 12/5) Crysis Remastered Trilogy ($29.99 from $49.99 until 12/8) Port Royale 4($24.99 from $49.99 until 12/9) Starbase Startopia($24.99 from $49.99 until 12/9) Ramp Bike Jumping ($2.99 from $9.99 until 12/10) World Soccer Cup 2022 ($3.49 from $4.99 until 12/11)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 22nd
An American Werewolf in LA ($2.49 from $4.99 until 11/22) Attentat 1942($7.74 from $15.49 until 11/22) Invert($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/22) Jets’n’Guns($2.79 from $6.99 until 11/22) Jets’n’Guns 2($5.99 from $14.99 until 11/22) Little Noah: Scion of Paradise ($11.99 from $14.99 until 11/22) Little Noah: SoP DLC Pass ($3.99 from $4.99 until 11/22) Little Noah: SoP Special Edition($15.99 from $19.99 until 11/22) Mr Maker 3D Level Editor ($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/22) SGC – Short Games Collection 1($7.10 from $19.99 until 11/22) Shmup Mania ($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/22) Silent Sector ($11.04 from $12.99 until 11/22) Striker Modes ($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/22) Super Cyborg ($2.99 from $6.99 until 11/22) Super Snake Block ($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/22) Svoboda 1945: Liberation($12.59 from $17.99 until 11/22)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with more reviews, more new releases, more sales, and perhaps some news. I hope you all have a great Monday, and as always, thanks for reading!
Despite only getting into Draknek & Friends later than most people, I’ve become a huge fan and consider A Monster’s Expedition one of the best puzzle games out there. Draknek’s first commercially released game was These Robotic Hearts of Mine(Free) which is an abstract poem puzzler I am yet to play. These Robotic Hearts of Mine celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, and it is being delisted in less than 90 days by Apple. The App Store is currently the only place These Robotic Hearts of Mine is still available, and it has been made free until it gets delisted. Watch the trailer for These Robotic Hearts of Mine below:
If you’ve not gotten it yet, you can grab These Robotic Hearts of Mine on the App Store for iOS here. It remains to be seen if These Robotic Hearts of Mine is brought over to any modern platform going forward. This is yet another one of Apple’s ways of showing it doesn’t care for preservation with functional games being delisted just because they haven’t been updated in a while. Read our review of These Robotic Hearts of Mine from back when it launched a decade ago here. Did you play These Robotic Hearts of Mine when it launched or will you be trying it out ahead of it being delisted in under 3 months?
It was a tough week to choose just one Game of the Week with lots of good games coming out, so in these situations I always sort of default to whichever game I keep coming back to throughout the week. This time around that is the new iOS port of Wreckfest from Handy Games. It helps that the original release of Wreckfest, which was developed by Bugbear Entertainment, was already a beloved game on consoles and PC, so the source material here was always going to be good. What has really impressed me though is just how faithfully Handy Games has brought this technical marvel to mobile devices.
So at a basic level, Wreckfest is a lot of what you might expect from a destruction derby-style racing game. Multiple event types including full-blown destruction derbies, more traditional races, and some more off-the-wall event types, and tons of vehicles in all manner of shapes, sizes, and classes. There’s a wonderful career progression where you’ll play through various events earning points, leveling up, unlocking new parts and cars, and then upgrading your owned vehicles.
While it’s definitely standard-fare type stuff for any modern racing game, it’s worth noting that the progression system and drip-feed of new unlocks in Wreckfest is tuned especially well in that I frequently found myself playing “just one more event” which in turn becomes “just, like, a dozen more events” as I can’t wait for my next unlock or upgrade. With the extensive number of vehicles you can acquire, and the huge assortment of upgrades and parts you can apply to them, I don’t think it’s too out there to say that Wreckfest is like a racing game RPG in terms of its progression hooks.
The real hallmark feature here however is the destruction physics. Holy moly, the destruction physics. Your vehicle, and those of your opponents, can be damaged from basically any and every angle, and depending on how and where that damage comes in can greatly affect how your car handles after it gets wrecked. Not only does the damage affect performance, but it also causes an awe-inspiring amount of wreckage and debris. Parts and particles go flying all over, and it’s not just a visual flourish as most that debris will end up on the track waiting for some hapless racer to blast right through it.
The part of this that really surprised and delighted me is that the destruction isn’t limited to just the vehicles but to the tracks and environments as well. I’m so used to cheesing my way through turns in a racing game by just barreling into an opponent’s side and using them as a shield as I take a turn with way more speed than should have been possible, but when I instinctively went to do that in Wreckfest I was caught by surprise when both our cars just blasted right through the fencing around the track, and then into a bunch of tire barriers which sent dozens of tires careening all over the place.
Yes, the environments are wonderfully destructible and that means that most the time you can’t cheese your way through turns, but this is actually a big win as it leads to an even better strategy: Plowing into your opponents and sending them off the track. It’s so much fun, and practically required strategy, to be a dirty racer in Wreckfest. Of course your opponents won’t hesitate to be dirty right back to you too, so turnabout is fair play.
Ok, I could probably go on and on about all the cool things I love about Wreckfest, but we don’t have all day. This is a fully premium release that will set you back $9.99, and then there are multiple vehicle and item packs available as additional IAP. Nothing essential to completing or enjoying the main game, just extra stuff if you want. Oh, and Wreckfest on mobile supports physical controllers and has fully customizable virtual controls so you’re bound to find something that suits you. There’s also numerous options for adjusting graphical settings to target performance, battery life, or full visual splendor if that’s what you want. Handy Games never fails when it comes to options in their premium mobile ports.
If you already played and enjoyed Wreckfest on another platform and just want a version you can stick in your pocket, you should be more than pleased with this mobile offering. If you haven’t played this one before and enjoy racing games in general, but want something a bit out of the ordinary, Wreckfest definitely fits the bill. With visuals cranked up for devices that can handle it this is a jaw-dropping game to see running on a little iPhone, and it doesn’t hurt that it’s also some of the most fun I’ve had in quite some time.
Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for November 18th, 2022. In today’s article, we look at the remaining releases of the week. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are the obvious big guns, but we’ve also got games like Oddworld: Soulstorm, Finding Paradise, and Goodbye World to consider. There are summaries of each of them, as always. After that, we roll into the new and expiring sales of the day. Not as many as you might think, which is a sure sign the Black Friday sales are a-brewin’. Let’s go!
New Releases
Pokemon Violet ($59.99)
Pokemon Scarlet ($59.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
The new Pokemon generation is upon us, and it seems as though it’s coming in real hot. Explore a whole new region, find new Pokemon, and do that usual thing we all enjoy doing in Pokemon games. I haven’t dug into this one yet, but from all accounts there are two things that can be said about it. First, in terms of the gameplay design, the consensus seems to be that it’s great. Second, in terms of its technical performance, it’s apparently very rough. I’ll likely be doing a review of this one, but it’s up to you how much those issues are going to mess with your enjoyment of everything else.
Oddworld: Soulstorm ($49.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
The latest Oddworld game makes it to Switch, more or less intact. It’s a reimagining of Oddworld: Abe’s Exoddus, but it is essentially a whole new game that touches on similar story beats. The puzzle-platforming gameplay follows pretty closely in line with Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty, so if you enjoyed that game you may want to give this a closer look. I reviewed this a few days ago and found it to be decent if not necessarily a must-have. Oddworld fans should have a good time with it, at least.
Heidelberg 1693 ($14.99)
This is a 2D action-platformer where you play as a musketeer in a zombie-infested 17th century Germany. It’s kind of weird how when you imagine a musketeer, you imagine sword-wielding fellows. I mean, the gun is right in the name of the job. Muskets are kind of troublesome weapons, though. They fire once and take a while to reload. That’s something you’ll have to keep in mind as you play this, as your all-important ranged weapon can only be used every once in a while. I’ll have a review of this one soon.
Finding Paradise ($11.99)
That title doesn’t smack you in the face about it, but this is a follow-up to the indie hit To The Moon. Finding Paradise has a similar premise wherein some doctors are using their experimental treatment to allow someone on the verge of death to re-live their life inside their head and have a second chance at making things better. The patient this time is named Colin, and his wish seems to be self-contradicting at first. Reviews were glowing on other platforms, and I imagine it will make no less of an impact on Switch owners.
Slime’s Journey ($4.99)
A little Metroidvania-ish game featuring a heroic slime. Lots of those going around lately, it’s very heart-warming. There are four different locations to explore, and three different difficulty levels to play on. Very short, but for a fiver I’m sure you expect that.
Goodbye World ($11.99)
This game tells the story of two friends who have been making indie games together for a while to little success. One of them makes a decision which will change everything. The story is told around a twelve-stage puzzle platformer, which is certainly an interesting twist on the usual way of presenting a narrative. Or perhaps in some sense the most traditional way? Well, I’m not going to sort that out here.
Succubus With Guns ($9.99)
Sometimes a game’s title does half my job for me. In this third-person shooter, you play as a succubus. A succubus with guns. Battle the undead and other monsters, collect more guns, and try to get home. I wouldn’t expect the most sterling gameplay mechanics here, but you will certainly get a succubus with guns. So you can’t really complain.
Return to Shironagasu Island ($6.99)
Here’s a visual novel adventure where you play as a New York detective who is called to a mysterious island to investigate an even more mysterious situation. He goes there with a more mysterious still girl who has some special abilities. Can you discover the secret of the island and get out alive? Look, a three-headed monkey!
Pid ($19.99)
A kid is lost in space and needs to get home, using the forces of gravity and other skills to overcome the obstacles in his path. This puzzle-platformer first released back in 2012 on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC. It was a bit middling at the time, with some interesting ideas and the occasional gorgeous vista contrasting with a certain coarseness to the gameplay. Ten years later, it’s not much better. I suppose if you’re a fan of the game who has always wanted a portable version, this is your day.
Desktop Soccer 2 ($8.00)
Another reminder that the World Cup fever is heating up. I’m not one hundred percent sure because I haven’t checked, but I think this is the first direct sequel in the Desktop Sports line. Up to four players can get in on the fun via local multiplayer, or you can play against the CPU in various modes. It’s an arcade-style affair with power-ups and mini-games, and I suppose it at least seems to have some modicum of thought put into it that helps it stand out against some other recent soccer games we’ve seen on the eShop.
Quantum Storm ($4.99)
This is a brick-breaker with three hundred levels to clear and a visual design that just screams Amiga to me. There are apparently different ships and upgrades to earn, but it’s by and large a fairly orthodox take on the genre.
Triangulate ($7.00)
A strategic turn-based game where players place triangles on the board and try to score as many points as possible. You can play against the computer or another human via local multiplayer. It seems interesting, but games like these really need to be put through their paces to show their ultimate worth. I’ll let you know if I end up finding it to be something special.
Animal Puzzle Cats ($4.99)
Well that’s just Qix with cats, isn’t it? But you know what? I approve. As you were, Animal Puzzle Cats.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Not so big of a list as I expected, really. I suppose the Black Friday/Cyber Deals sales are coming next week in North America. For now, I will nudge at new low prices on games like Beacon Pines and XEL. Not too much in the outbox for the weekend, but check both of those lists anyway.
Select New Games on Sale
XEL($11.39 from $18.99 until 11/24) Woven($1.99 from $19.99 until 11/28) Phantom Breaker Omnia ($19.99 from $39.99 until 11/28) Iconoclasts($7.99 from $19.99 until 12/1) Danmaku Unlimited 3 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 12/1) Vampyr($13.99 from $39.99 until 12/1) Curse of the Dead Gods ($9.99 from $19.99 until 12/1) In Other Waters ($4.49 from $14.99 until 12/1) Citizen Sleeper ($14.99 from $19.99 until 12/1) Framed Collection ($1.99 from $9.99 until 12/1) The Stillness of the Wind ($2.07 from $12.99 until 12/1) No Longer Home ($5.99 from $14.99 until 12/1) Kraken Academy($8.99 from $17.99 until 12/1) Neo Cab ($3.99 from $19.99 until 12/1) Think of the Children ($2.59 from $12.99 until 12/1)
Suzerain($8.99 from $17.99 until 12/1) Glitchhikers Spaces Between ($9.74 from $12.99 until 12/1) Paradise Killer ($7.99 from $19.99 until 12/1) Super Mutant Alien Assault($1.99 from $9.99 until 12/1) Beacon Pines ($15.99 from $19.99 until 12/1) Genesis Noir ($5.99 from $14.99 until 12/1) Chasm($5.99 from $19.99 until 12/1) The Bunker($4.54 from $12.99 until 12/1) Horizon Chase Turbo ($3.99 from $19.99 until 12/1) Treasure Temples ($3.99 from $7.99 until 12/1) My Little Pony: Maretime Bay Adv. ($27.99 from $39.99 until 12/1) DC League of Super-Pets ($27.99 from $39.99 until 12/1) Time Carnage ($4.54 from $12.99 until 12/1) Hellmut: Badass from Hell ($5.99 from $29.99 until 12/1) Sofiya & the Ancient Clan($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/2)
Wife Quest ($5.59 from $7.99 until 12/2) Book Quest ($4.89 from $6.99 until 12/2) Freezer Pops($6.99 from $9.99 until 12/2) Pretty Girls Breakers ($4.19 from $6.99 until 12/2) Divination($3.49 from $4.99 until 12/2) Moero Crystal H($23.99 from $39.99 until 12/2) Crisis Wing ($4.79 from $7.99 until 12/2) Dark Quest 2 ($4.39 from $10.99 until 12/2) Lonely Mountains: Downhill ($9.99 from $19.99 until 12/5) Indigo 7 Quest for Love ($5.99 from $14.99 until 12/8) Golazo! 2 ($8.99 from $14.99 until 12/8) Streets of Rogue ($9.99 from $19.99 until 12/8) Sword of Elpisia ($9.74 from $14.99 until 12/8) Yodanji($2.49 from $4.99 until 12/8) Alphadia Genesis ($7.49 from $14.99 until 12/8)
Alphadia Genesis 2 ($7.49 from $14.99 until 12/8) Revenant Saga ($6.49 from $12.99 until 12/8) Revenant Dogma($6.49 from $12.99 until 12/8) Illusion of L’Phalcia ($6.49 from $12.99 until 12/8) Chronus Arc ($6.49 from $12.99 until 12/8) Legend of the Tetrarchs ($7.49 from $14.99 until 12/8) Ghost Sync ($9.74 from $14.99 until 12/8) Sephirothic Stories($7.49 from $14.99 until 12/8) Seek Hearts ($7.49 from $14.99 until 12/8) Everdark Tower ($2.49 from $4.99 until 12/8) Archlion Saga($2.49 from $4.99 until 12/8) Miden Tower ($7.49 from $14.99 until 12/8)
Sales Ending This Weekend
A Sketchbook About Her Sun($1.99 from $4.99 until 11/19) Break Thru The Wall ($4.19 from $5.99 until 11/19) Dark Minute: Kira’s Adventure($4.99 from $9.99 until 11/19) Fire: Ungh’s Quest($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/19) Harmony’s Odyssey($10.49 from $14.99 until 11/19) Last Threshold ($2.99 from $4.99 until 11/19) Madorica Real Estate ($7.49 from $14.99 until 11/19) Magician’s Chase: Curry Recipe ($6.29 from $8.99 until 11/19) Miner Warfare ($1.99 from $7.99 until 11/19) MonsterFruitAcademy($16.02 from $32.05 until 11/19)
Promesa($1.99 from $4.99 until 11/19) Succubus with Guns ($7.99 from $9.99 until 11/19) The Padre ($2.99 from $19.99 until 11/19) Vampire: The Masquerade Bundle ($8.69 from $28.99 until 11/19) Will Die Alone ($1.99 from $4.99 until 11/19) Hoplegs($4.89 from $6.99 until 11/20) Mermaid Story ($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/20) Rise: Race the Future ($8.24 from $16.49 until 11/20) Sydney Hunter & Curse of the Mayan ($4.99 from $9.99 until 11/20) TaniNani($3.49 from $4.99 until 11/20)
That’s all for today and this week, friends. We’ll be back next week with more reviews, more new releases, more sales, some news, and… well, that’s all. Those are all the things we ever have in these articles. I don’t know where I was going with that ‘and’. I hope you all have a fantastic weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!
Sigono’s OPUS series of games had its debut with OPUS: The Day We Found Earth back in 2015 on iOS and Android. That was eventually ported to PC and Nintendo Switch with its followup game OPUS: Rocket of Whispers following the same pattern. I adored the first game and have played it on every platform. While I do have issues with the gameplay in OPUS: Rocket of Whispers, I still consider it worth experiencing for fans of the first game. When OPUS: Echo of Starsong($8.99) was announced, I was hoping it would make its way to iOS because it kept looking like a massive step up over the originals in scale and production.
OPUS: Echo of Starsong debuted on PC before seeing an enhanced release on Nintendo Switch that brought in Chinese and Japanese voice acting support. Following that being patched into the PC version, OPUS: Echo of Starsong arrived on Xbox platforms including Xbox Game Pass. Usually, a game would then hit PlayStation platforms and find its way to mobile much later, but OPUS: Echo of Starsong finally arrived on iOS this week at a fraction of its cost on other platforms bringing the complete experience with all updates and voice acting to mobile.
Despite all being a part of the same universe, OPUS: Echo of Starsong can be played standalone if you don’t want to experience the first two games. OPUS: Echo of Starsong is very much a story focused experience with some point and click adventure-style gameplay, light puzzles, and decisions you need to make that involve some RNG like with Disco Elysium. I’m not going to spoil the story, but this is Sigono’s best one yet and I cannot imagine anyone playing this will not be moved by the narrative by the end of the dozen or so hours you will spend here depending on whether you focus on the main story or more.
OPUS: Echo of Starsong is the most ambitious game Sigono has released yet. It is a huge improvement in just about every way, and the Japanese voice acting I’ve used across my playthroughs is very well done. Not only is this the best Sigono game, but one of my favorite games of the year on iOS and Nintendo Switch. I just hope the few issues I have with the iOS version can be fixed in future updates.
Given the gameplay style, I imagine most people wouldn’t care about controller support, but there is some form of controller support. You can use a controller to move and to progress dialogue, but not to make decisions. You will need to use touch controls for that. I also couldn’t get my progress synced across my iPhone and iPad. I’m not sure if iCloud save sync is included, but if it is, it didn’t work for me. I hope this can be implemented in the future.
OPUS: Echo of Starsong is great on PC and Steam Deck. The Switch version has performance issues that have been addressed to some degree in updates. On iOS, OPUS: Echo of Starsong targets 30fps even on newer devices like the iPhone 14 Plus I played it on. Sigono told me there are no plans to add support for 60fps to the game right now. Visually, it is cleaner than the Switch version though in parts. It doesn’t look as good as I had hoped on my iPad Pro (2020) though. The definitive portable experience right now is on Steam Deck for sure if you have that option, but if you don’t, I would recommend it on iOS over Switch.
OPUS: Echo of Starsong is an essential for iOS owners. I already thought it was underpriced on consoles and PC given the quality of the game, but the iOS version is an even better deal with it costing less than half. This is Sigono’s best work and I can’t wait to see what the studio releases next. I just hope iOS and Switch owners will not be waiting too long for Sigono’s next game. OPUS: Echo of Starsong is a game you need to experience if you enjoy memorable stories, well written characters, and excellent music. Having done nearly three full playthroughs across platforms, I still can’t get over how good OPUS: Echo of Starsong is.
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is one of those situations where a sequel or expansion exceeds the base game quite a bit. I loved Marvel’s Spider-Man on PS4, PS5, and more recently on Steam Deck, but Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a better game overall. I wasn’t going to pass up a chance to check it out on Steam Deck after how good Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered was, and I’m glad to report that Nixxes has done an amazing job with Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
Before getting into how it looks and runs on Steam Deck, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is set after the events of the first game. While I recommend playing that, if you’re more interested in playing as Miles and haven’t bought either game yet, you can grab this directly. Insomniac Games’ PS5 debut with Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales was spectacular. Just keep in mind that this is shorter than the original. I spent about half the time here compared to Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered on PS5 and PS4.
On Steam Deck, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales has arrived verified by Valve out of the box. While being verified doesn’t guarantee great performance or visuals, I’m pleased to report that Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales looks and plays like a dream on Steam Deck after a bit of tweaking. If I hadn’t played it on PS5 already, I’d have gone for 100% completion on Steam Deck. Alas this busy release season means I will only be chipping away at that over the coming weeks.
With Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered, I settled on a mix of high and medium settings to get it to run at 40fps with drops after using the Steam Deck’s refresh rate change for 40hz. While a 30fps cap will give you a more stable experience overall, I decided to deal with some drops for the improvement 40fps brings to the table. Even in the busier moments like the opening set-pieces, it didn’t drop too much and looked consistently nice on the smaller screen.
The Steam Deck’s gyro implementation is great in general, and I usually enable it through the control settings when games don’t support it. With Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Nixxes had the exact same gyro setup I use enabled by default which is great to see. You can disable this, but I left it on because I love how it has been used in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. The screenshots in the review are all captured using a mix of medium and high settings with IGDI or FSR used. I’ve even included one with an ultrawide aspect ratio while my Steam Deck was connected via HDMI to my 1440p monitor to just show what is possible in the port.
My only complaint with Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales on PC is the fact that you can’t buy it with Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered together in a discounted bundle. On PS5, you can grab them both together as a part of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition for $69.99 while you need to buy them separately totaling about $110 on PC going by the asking price. If you’re ok with this, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is definitely worth your time. I just hope Sony improves how it handles the pricing in its release strategy bringing these beloved PlayStation exclusives to PC in the future.
If you’ve not played Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales before, the PC version is an easy recommendation on Steam Deck. Miles Morales is a tighter and more focused take on the formula than the original game with better combat and a brilliant use of licensed music. The story is perfect to experience during the holiday season as well. It has been about two years since its PlayStation debut, and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales has aged brilliantly. It is yet another ‘perfect on Steam Deck’ experience from Sony.
Interested in more Steam Deck features? Check out our other Steam Deck recommendations!
Old Man’s Journey+() from Broken Rules is out now on Apple Arcade as an App Store Great. Old Man’s Journey+ debuted five years on iOS, Android, and PC platforms. The puzzle adventure game about life, loss, and hope had gorgeous visuals and is a game I enjoyed revisiting on console. If you’ve not played it yet, read our review of the original here. You can now play it as an App Store Great on Apple Arcade here. Check out our original forum thread for the game here for more discussion around it. Watch the trailer for the iOS version below:
Alongside today’s new release, a few notable games have gotten updates. Skate City has added a new level in Venice beach. This adds 21 new challenges with a new tutorial. There are also 30 new goals included in the update. Simon’s Cat – Story Time brings in 300 new levels with 25 new levels coming each week with 1.20.0 out now. What The Golf? is celebrating Thanksgiving with the “Don’t Stuff Me Now” pack and more. The recently released Stitch. adds 7 new hoops, left hand mode, improved visibility and contrast options, and some balance adjustments. Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat brings in seven new songs including Mobile Suit Gundam music and more.
Check out our forum threads for Old Man’s Journey+here, What The Golf?here, Skate Cityhere, Simon’s Cat – Story Timehere, Stitch.here, and Taiko no Tatsujin: Pop Tap Beathere. For all other Apple Arcade related things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of the recent Apple Arcade releases this month?
